Natalie Yonan is an assistant coach for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights softball program and enters her sixth season on the Banks, where she works primarily with the team’s infield defense. During her tenure, Yonan has been a key contributor to the most successful stretch in recent program history, including Rutgers’ first back-to-back 30-win seasons, the most Big Ten victories and series wins since joining the conference, the program’s highest Big Ten Tournament seed, and the best overall start to a season since 1981. Under her guidance, Rutgers has recorded the highest fielding percentage in school history, reinforcing the program’s identity as one of the top defensive units in the conference.
Yonan has played a pivotal role in developing elite infield talent, highlighted by Payton Lincavage earning the Rawlings Golden Glove Award as the nation’s top defensive third baseman in 2023, along with sustained All-Region and All-Big Ten recognition for Rutgers shortstops. She is in her second stint working with head coach Kristen Butler, having begun her coaching career as a volunteer assistant at Toledo, where she helped guide the Rockets to a 30-win season, a MAC West title share, and a National Invitational Softball Championship appearance. Yonan later spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Lee University, continuing her success developing all-conference infielders. A native of Susanville, California, she was a four-year starter at Charleston Southern, helping the Buccaneers to a Big South Tournament championship and NCAA Regional appearance, and graduated in 2016 with a degree in kinesiology.
